Kingsman: The Golden Circle Casts Channing Tatum

20th Century Fox found themselves with a sleeper hit with Kingsman: The Secret Service. Based on Mark Millar’s comic book spy-thriller, the 2015 film pulled in $414 million globally, securing itself a second go-around. Recently titled Kingsman: The Golden Circle, the sequel will bring back original writer/director Matthew Vaughn and his co-writer Jane Goldman to re-construct their action-comedy magic.

Variety recently broke the news that Channing Tatum (Hail, Caesar!) has joined the cast. The actor, known for his turn as a working-stiff turned stripper in Magic Mike, recently had his schedule open up due to FOX reshuffling Gambit, freeing him to work on the 23 Jump Street/Men In Black crossover MIB 23. Colin Firth and Mark Strong are also expected to rejoin their castmates. Channing took to Twitter to announce the casting:

At this point, the plot of Golden Circle supposedly revolves around the destruction of the Kingsman’s English command center, presumably by Moore’s villainous character, Poppy (who works her nefarious schemes out of Poppyland, a 50s-diner surrounded by ruins). This leads Eggsy and Merlin to the United States, where they’ll team up with Berry’s Ginger, the leader of secret agency The Statesmen. While collaborating with Berry’s organization, they’ll work alongside a “swaggering, sharpshooting cowboy” named Jack (who is, in all likelihood Pedro Pascal’s character, listed on IMDB as Jack Daniels).

At this point, all arrows point to Tatum playing alongside his American counterparts. His tweet includes an official-looking Kingsman 2 poster bearing the phrase: “My momma always told me the British gave us Southerners our good manners.” If that doesn’t sound American enough, Tatum’s phasing on the tweet could seal the deal. His comment reads, “I’m about to get all up in that Golden Circle,” which doesn’t exactly sound like he’ll be affecting an English lilt in his new role. And playing a good ol’ boy certainly isn’t far removed from his oeuvre, which has consisted of an outlaw in the bloody Western The Hateful Eight and his future part as the X-Men‘s Ragin’ Cajun, Gambit.

Of course, which character he plays in the film is unclear. Most likely, he’ll be working alongside our heroes as a member of the Statesmen. However, since this is a spy-thriller as well as a comedy, he could be playing a villain or a double-agent with schemes of his own. It will be interesting to see how his character shapes up – and meshes – with the polite English gentlemen of Kingsman: The Golden Circle.